as the networks of nbc focus on education here in the united states, we are also learning this hour that americans owe more on their student loans than they do on their credit cards. and the default rate on those student loans is more than four times the default rate on mortgages. so the question now is it another bubble that is about to burst? senior correspondent scott cone is reporting from washington today on some very startling statistics, scotty? >> reporter: some new statistics, simon, just in. these new figures come from fyke cok -- fico, they analyzed a large sample of credit reports, millions of them nationwide. and here is what they found. since 2005, the percentage of u.s. consumers with multiple open student loans on their credit report has nearly doubled, now almost 12% of us are making payments on at least two student loans. the average amount of that debt, up more than 50% to more than $26,000 on average, a much higher pace of growth than the growth of credit like credit cards and mortgages, other types of debt. and the percentage of consumers with six figures in college